I don't think "public intellectuals" are really important. I mean what's the point?

To allow the public to feel and be involved in the important intellectual fields that are so important for their country. When media individuals, politicians and businesses are debating issues like alternative medicine, creationism in schools etc it's important to have intellectual individuals and groups that can engage the public on these issues and be trusted so that they can make an informed decision.

It's naive to think that the public should or would accept the faceless announcements of people they have never met on issues that haven't been explained.

Staff: Mentor

To allow the public to feel and be involved in the important intellectual fields that are so important for their country. When media individuals, politicians and businesses are debating issues like alternative medicine, creationism in schools etc it's important to have intellectual individuals and groups that can engage the public on these issues and be trusted so that they can make an informed decision.

It's naive to think that the public should or would accept the faceless announcements of people they have never met on issues that haven't been explained.

The problem is that the general public wouldn't recognize any of these scientists unless they were a "pop" scientist like kaku, and even then, the majority of the public would not recognize him or his name.